Improvement in costumery



PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. MUNROE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN COSTUMERY.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,559, dated July 2, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FosTEE MUN- BOE, of the city of Boston and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Oostumery, by which mystic changes 7 (which term I have copy-righted) from male to female attire can be produced for theatrieal or other purposes; andI do hereby dereleasing at the same time the skirt of a dress concealed under the body of the coat, which falls, covering the latter; it also relates to means whereby the appearance of a low-cut buckled shoe may be rapidly changed to that of a high balmoral boot fitting around the ankle and leg; my invention further relates to means whereby buttons having a bright surface, as well as epaulettes, may be reversed so that a black outward surface is presented.

In the further description of my invention which follows, due reference must be had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of the body of a coat having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view of a leg, upon which certain parts of my invention are shown.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts of the invention.

In Fig. 1, Ais the' body of a coat, opening at a, upon the outside of the sleeves and at the shoulders. Pins are represented by b, which are attached to a string, c, permanently fastened to the coat-collar, as shown at c. The strings epass through loops d at the bottoms of the sleeves, which prevent their being detached from the coat. Buttons at the ends of the strings c are shown by e. By pulling the strings at e the pins b are detached thereby and drawn, opening the coat on the shoulders and down the outsides of the sleeves, allowing the body of the coat to fall below the waist, at

which point it is caught. At the same moment the skirt of a dress, which was concealed behind the body of the coat, and is fastened around the waist, falls over the body of the coat, now hanging down, concealing it from view.

In Fig. 2, A represents a gaiter, opening at a, where it is held to the legs by pins b, attached to the strings c, reaching to the waist, through the loop d. The gaiter comes down over a balmoral boot, g, the top of which is seen at f; a buckle, h, is attached to the bottom of the gaiter; another string, l, is secured to the bottom of the gaiter, as shown at k, and

'reaches up to the waist. When the gaiter is tted to the leg the person appears to be wearing a low-cut buckled shoe; but when the pins are drawn by pulling the string c and the gaiter is lifted to the waist, under th skirt of the dress, by the string-l, the foot and ankle :gre shown as being fitted with a high balmoral oot.

In Fig. 1, buttons are represented by m, which are upon wires m', acting as pivots. The buttons are bright upon one surface and black upon the other. Strings are shown by c, which attach to the tops ofthe buttons and ioin at the button e. A double rowof button's are here shown, but the rows may be single, double, or of any number. The buttons also maybe placed upon any article of dress, they only being shown in the position indicated for the sake of convenient illustration. By pulling the strings c ate the buttons m, turning upon the pivot m', present their opposite surfaces. The buttons m may be used in connection with the other features of my invention, or separately from them.

By the means hereinbefore described almost instantaneous changes, without leaving the stage or the presence of public gaze, may be made continuously from male to female attire, and other striking transformations effected, which, in the theatrical profession, andas a means of amusement, are valuable and much desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and which I wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The pins b attached to the strings c and stantially as described, for the purpose set buttons e, and combined with the loops d and forth.

article of Wearing apparel, substantially as de- W. F. MUNROE. scribed, for the purpose set forth.

2. A button, m, having opposite faces of con- Witnesses: trasting colors, hung upon a pivot, m', and CEAS. A. WING, l adapted to be reversed by the string e, sub- L. E. VAYO. 

